*** Gift N50m to 10 entrepreneurs

By Olayinka Ajayi

The Chairman of Rainoil, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie, has urged entrepreneurs to leverage the huge opportunities in Nigeria.

Ogbenchie who gave 10 entrepreneurs N5million each charged them to put their heart into their chosen venture.

Fielding questions from newsmen at an entrepreneurs’ symposium to mark his 60th birthday in Lagos, Ogbechie urged young entrepreneurs to be innovative and resilient.

While narrating his experience to participants, he said, “When we started Rainoil, we didn’t have a petrol station.
Things kept evolving, but I knew a business that will survive is the business that is innovative.
Upcoming entrepreneurs, there are so many opportunities in this country. With a country of 200 million people, it means 200 million mouths to feed, 200 million people to move around, 200 million people to clothe, 200 million people to house. So the opportunities are humongous. The Bible says that whatsoever we lay our hand on shall prosper.

“What I encourage people to do is just identify what you need to do. Lay your hand on it and pursue it, and you can make a success of it by the grace of God. I worked for an oil company for five years.

“I understood the ropes, and I knew that if I could just raise that seed capital, I’d be able to do something for myself. Today, we are running this organization that is employing more than 3,000 people nationwide and truly adding a lot of value. So, I want to encourage the younger ones that it’s possible.”

On his part, Austin Avuru, Executive Chairman of AA Holdings Group, urged the government to see itself as the oxygen that makes entrepreneurship thrive.

He said, “Entrepreneurship is the heartbeat of capitalism, and it is innovation that defines capitalism and entrepreneurship.

“A responsible government provides oxygen for entrepreneurship to thrive. Also, a responsible government provides security for its citizens.”